


<약속해요> <<I Promise You>>

by jas0pap3r



Category: Produce 101 (TV), Wanna One (Band)
Genre: Bittersweet Ending, Drabble Collection, I promise you, M/M, Magical Realism, Old Married Couple, Read, Woops its a drabble collection now, a lil bit of magic, based on the new wanna one song, idk - Freeform, its not really that sad, well it might be
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-03-05
Updated: 2018-03-31
Packaged: 2019-03-27 10:36:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 5
Words: 6,387
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13879077
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jas0pap3r/pseuds/jas0pap3r
Summary: The winter snows have not yet quite melted, and the flowers haven’t blossomed yet in the early March chill. But I promised you, ten years ago under a cherry blossom tree, and with magic in the air, never to leave your side.*********************************************************************************************************************UPDATE: NOW A DRABBLE COLLECTION





	1. I Promised You

March 5, 2078

 

 

Until two hours previously, Daniel had been in a hospital cot two places away from Seongwoo. For him, that was two hospital cots too many. At least, that’s what he’d told the nurse.

Being famous and having a handsome husband was a fantastic combination in terms of influence. But it seemed like none of the above applied here.

In the end, it was Daniel’s crumpled posture that made the nurse fetch for a doctor to rearrange the cots so that Seongwoo’s cot would be connected to Daniel’s. It would be a pain for the doctors, having to move equipment and medications, but Daniel needed Seongwoo.

Needed to feel his heartbeat more than he needed his own.

And now that the beds were finally placed together, Daniel didn't know what to do.

Seongwoo was old. It was an undeniable fact of life that he had a mop of gray hair while Daniel had a shock of white hair due to all the hair-dyeing in his idol days. The wrinkles developed under his cheekbones couldn’t be kissed away. Neither could the creaking bones or increasing fatigue of a single breath.

But they were together now.

Seongwoo pinched Daniel, his grip too weak to actually hurt Daniel. “Whatchya thinking about, puppy?”

Daniel snorted, then coughed at the effort. “I’m definitely not a puppy anymore, Seongwoo hyung.”

Seongwoo smiled, and Daniel knew he was staring at Seongwoo, at how bright Seongwoo still was hours away from death. But he couldn’t get enough of Seongwoo, even when he’s had him at his side ever since they were trainees in Produce 101.

Seongwoo’s eyes softened when they met with Daniel’s, and he chuckled. “You might not be looking so young right now, but your eyes still remind me of a Samoyed each time you stare at me.”

Daniel’s smile hurt, but he smiled anyway. 

“What were you thinking about, Niellie?”

“I was remembering. That day when we went to Gapyoung after we made our comeback, remember?”

Seongwoo frowned. “What? What day are you talking about?”

Daniel gasped. “You—You don’t remember?”

Seongwoo laughed, frame-shaking belly laughs that made doctors glare at the duo. “You’re so gullible, Daniel, even after all this time.”

Daniel smiled in relief. “Remember what you told me, under the cherry blossom tree?”

Seongwoo’s smile was soft, caressing. “Why don’t you tell it to me? My memory isn’t as good as it used to be.”

 

***************

 

March 6, 2018

“Today, we rest! Tomorrow, we make our true comeback! No cameras today, so we can do anything we want!” Jisung’s voice was buoyed, cheered by the success they’d had for their comeback song “I Promise You.” And why wouldn’t they be? It was the beginning of the Golden Age, after all.

Daniel and Seongwoo whooped the loudest out of the eleven, a difficult feat considering Park Woojin and Kim Jaehwan’s existence. But they were the most excited to get out of the dorms, to run off to Gapyoung again.

“Have fun, hyungs!” Guanlin’s voice was excited as well, and he only gave cursory hugs to the duo before joining the others to play mini-football.

Seongwoo smiled, pulling Daniel’s wrist along. Despite his height and weight, Daniel allowed himself to get yanked along with the hyung.

He loved Seongwoo, after all.

When they were out of the dorms, they grinned at each other. Seongwoo had that glint in his eye, the glint that said he would love to kiss the living lights out of Daniel. But there were still cameras following the duo and too many people around, and this had to be a secret, didn’t it?

So Daniel smiled, pulling a pouting Seongwoo to the car rental nearby.

“Hyung? Do you want to go to Busan today? Or maybe Gapyoung—”

“Gapyoung, obviously.” Seongwoo smiled again, his youth blinding. “But I want to go somewhere different this time. Not the cafe, since they’ll probably have hidden cameras there.”

“Where?”

Seongwoo’s eyes twinkled. “It’s no fun if I tell you, is it?”

 

“Cherry Blossom Road?”

Seongwoo’s smile was contagious. “There are no cameras here since it’s not allowed. Plus, I specifically asked for one area to be cut off from the public.”

Daniel hugged Seongwoo tightly, not caring about the cameras around. “Thanks, hyung. You’re the best ever!”

 

The area is somewhat visually disappointing.

It’s March, but the cold hasn’t been chased away completely yet. Their song was being overenthusiastic in its search for spring, but spring hasn’t completely sunk in Korea.

Some of the trees are budding, but for as far as the eye can see the trees are bare.

But they both don’t mind. 

They’re too busy kissing each other up on tree trunks, far away from prying eyes. And if Daniel hadn’t accidentally tripped over a loose shoelace, they might never have found the strange tree.

But Daniel had been too excited to catch up to Seongwoo, who was taunting him up ahead, and he tripped over his shoelace and fell to his knees.

In a moment, Seongwoo was there, his expression apologetic.

Then, in front of their eyes, a tree a few meters away started budding. It wasn’t subtle, either; the tree just burst into blossom, the foliage a rich green, the pink shades almost magically soft.

The two stare at the tree.

“Did the—”

“Yeah.” 

“What the—”

“Yeah.”

Then Seongwoo had smiled, and he’d dragged him under the strange, magical tree, and they’d kissed up against the tree trunk, their confused smiles colliding, their hands soft on each other’s backs.

By the time Seongwoo had his feel, the tree had completely blossomed, and the couple was covered in shadow.

“Daniel.”

Daniel laughed involuntarily, his eyes crinkling upwards even as he searched for the punchline. “What — what’s up?”

“Niellie, I want to be with you forever.”

Daniel stopped laughing. “Hyung…”

Seongwoo flushed, his hands suddenly awkward as they pulled away from Daniel. “Oh… did you not want to… be together… after the disbandment?”

Then Daniel had laughed again, and he’d pulled Seongwoo back by the waist into another kiss.

“Hyung, you dummy. If I didn’t want to be with you after the disbandment, I wouldn’t have confessed to you. I just stopped laughing because I was touched.”

Seongwoo smiled, his eyes relieved and proud. “My Niellie… what did I ever do to deserve you?”

But before they leaned into another kiss, Daniel stepped away from Seongwoo. “Hyung, if you really want to stay with me forever, then…” He seemed to think about a good enough promise.

Seongwoo laughed. “I pinky promise, Daniel.”

A gust of wind blew through the trees, and the petals fell off in droves. Daniel and Seongwoo stood in the semi-storm of cherry blossoms, their eyes wide with wonder.

As Daniel stared at the phenomenon, Seongwoo crept up to Daniel and held his hand.

Daniel glanced at Seongwoo, his expression filled with wonder.

“Daniel, baby, I will love you and be with you forever. I pinky promise!”

Daniel smiled back, his lips curling upwards for the umpteenth time that day.

“Seongwoo hyung, I will never leave your side. I pinky promise!”

 

***************

 

“…”

They sat together in nostalgic silence, their hands still locked together. The heart monitors showed that their heartbeats are beginning to slow down at the same time, from seventy to sixty-five to fifty-eight.

“Seongwoo hyung… do you think that tree was magic?” Daniel’s old voice should have sounded tired, exhausted. But the same boyish charm was there, the charm that Seongwoo had fallen so deeply in love with.

“I think so.” Seongwoo’s eyelids grew heavy, and he saw how Daniel’s own eyes shutting.

Daniel squeezed Seongwoo’s hand weakly, the energy slowly but surely leaking away from him. Seongwoo felt himself growing colder, and without thinking, he snuggled closer to Daniel. 

Their bodies shivered together, the only warmth they could find coming from each other. 

“Daniel… are you scared of what’s gonna happen next?”

“No…”

“Why?”

Daniel’s smile was sleepy, tired, youthful and old all at once. “It’s not the beginning of the end of Ongniel, hyung. It’s the beginning of the Golden Age.”

Seongwoo would have punched Daniel for the cheesy line. But now, as he felt his life ebbing away from him, he merely smiled warmly. Perhaps Daniel’s warmth was distracting him.

“Hyung… are you going to be with me?”

“Forever.”

“Pinky promise?”

“I can do better.”

Seongwoo kissed Daniel, and for a split second, they felt the energy of their youth spilling into them. Then it was gone, and Seongwoo shivered harder than before.

“I promise you forever and ever, that I will never leave your side. It’s not the end yet, right?”

“I promise you forever and ever, that I will love you even after the end of days. It’s not the end yet, hyung.”

Their last words were more puffs of air than sounds, but they understood each other perfectly.

 

 

 

 

 

“ _약속해요_.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

_I promise you_

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The monitors flatlined at the same time.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


	2. I Promise [From This Day Onward You Shall Not Walk Alone]

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ***TIMELINE SHIFTING BACK***
> 
> Seongwoo trembled in his tuxedo. Even the soothing pats on his back were enough to calm him down.
> 
> Ever since that promise under a cherry blossom tree, Seongwoo's been wondering about marriage. But now, as he stands before the two hall doors, he can't help but be terrified that Daniel has forgotten their promise.
> 
> OR
> 
> Seongwoo is insecure on his wedding day. But it's easily fixed when Daniel hands him a ring laced with cherry-pink

"Ong Seongwoo!"

Seongwoo sighed, his fists trembling in his white satin gloves. "I - I can't help it, Jisung hyung!"

Jisung sighed in response, his hands patting down the wrinkles on Seongwoo's tuxedo, restyling his bangs into the classic comma instead of the strange mess it became when Seongwoo started sweating profusely. "Aish, this kid. You should be happy you're getting married, especially to Daniel."

His words bounced off of Seongwoo's tension. "I am happy! It's just," Seongwoo coughed, his eyes darting to the double doors before him. "It's just that I'm scared."

This time, Jisung frowned, his patting slowing down. "Scared... of what?"

"I'm scared that... that he doesn't really want this. I'm scared that one day, he's going to move on. I'm scared of tying him down in something he committed to in a heartbeat. I'm sca-"

"Shh." Jisung's patting resumed, fussing over Seongwoo's jacket as any minute piece of dust. "You're being stupid."

"I know. It's just-"

"Ong Seongwoo." Jisung's voice was stern, but his eyes held a certain warmth to them. "I've been there every step of the way. I've been there ever since Wanna One disbanded, I've been there as the romances that emerged in Wanna One died within a year. And I was there when he asked you to move in, when he proposed to you, when your bond was on the verge of breaking. And I'm sure, that despite everything - despite both of your childish minds, your naivety, your fickle hearts - Daniel has always been hopelessly in love with you."

Seongwoo stood stock still, his rapid breaths slowing with each direct word Jisung uttered.

"Admit it. You're scared that this love is only temporary, like the cherry blossoms Daniel adores. You're scared that at the end of your youths, your love will shrivel up and die, and you'll be stuck in a promise you cannot keep."

Seongwoo nodded slowly, his eyes fixed at his feet. 

"But I'll tell you this, Ongcheonggi." Jisung leaned closer, his face serious. "When cherry blossoms shrivel up, they leave behind cherries. Hundreds upon hundreds of cherries, all holding promises of new beginnings, of new hopes."

Seongwoo snorted slightly. "Wah, Jisungie-hyung. Never knew you were so cheesy."

Jisung leaned back, his eyes wide with disbelief. " _That's all you have to say?_ "

"No."

This time, Jisung appeared startled, and the retort on his tongue died away at Seongwoo's response. "What do you want to say?"

"I want to say... that if Daniel was the ocean, then Wanna One's a rock, or a house on the beach, or... somewhere. You get the point." Seongwoo threw his hands up, chuckling. "I try to be profound as well, but I end up sounding stupid."

Jisung laughed as well. "I get it, though. We've all been here for the both of here, allowing both of you to crash, to take even some respite. But marrying..." Seongwoo visibly stiffened at the word. "Marrying just means you find each other for comfort now. If the ocean can scream and drown, it can also soothe."

"You make it sound so easy."

"I've been through this before, with Sungwoon."

Seongwoo smiled again, straightening his back, loosening his wrists and bending the cricks from his neck. "That's what I needed."

And, after a brief hug, Seongwoo had finally passed through the double doors with Jisung at his side.

 

 

 

 

 _This was a mistake_.

"You may now say your vows."

_Am I going too fast?_

"Seongwoo."

He quickly looked upwards at the solemn, broad-shouldered figure in front of him. He remembered to keep silent.

"Ong Seongwoo..." With that, Daniel took Seongwoo's hand, and hesitantly shifted the thin golden band off his ring finger.

A wave of panic slammed through Seongwoo. Jisung never talked about this part of the script, of the vows. What was Daniel doing? Was he retracting his marriage vows? "Uh... Daniel?"

Daniel smiled, a ghost of his bright grin marred with something like nerves. "I know this isn't conventional... but..."

Seongwoo closed his eyes, expecting Daniel to refuse, to let go of his hand and take the ring back.

Instead, he felt a different ring sliding up his other ring finger.

Eyes rapidly flitting open, Seongwoo stared as Daniel slowly enclasped Seongwoo's hand with both of his own. "What-"

"I... I wanted to give you a better ring. A ring that i hope reminds you of me every time you see it. My ring already always reminds me of you, but the one I gave you was too boring." Daniel's grin was brighter, his nervousness dispelled with pride. 

Seongwoo couldn't help but laugh. "I love you so, so, so much Daniel."

Far in the distance, Seongwoo heard someone snorting quietly at the amplified words.  _Park Jihoon, Park Woojin, or Bae Jinyoung. Maybe the 2Sung couple._

Seongwoo smiled back at Daniel. His fear was all gone, replaced with a serene confidence. "Kang Daniel, I promise you one thing, and one thing only."

Quietly, Daniel murmured: "Pinky promise?"

Seongwoo chuckled, his fingers already contorting into the familiar gesture. "Pinky promise."

As their fingers wrapped around each other, Seongwoo stated his own vows.

 

 

 

Within their tightly clasped hands, the silver ring on Seongwoo's hand glinted, for a split second, a cherry-pink.

 

 

 

 

 

_"약속해요. 이날부터 당신은 저랑같이 꽃길을 걸어요."_

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"I promise you.

 

 

 

 

 

from this day onward

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

we will walk on a flower path together"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


	3. You Promised Me [We'd Make So Many More Memories]

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> *Further Back In Time*
> 
> The perfume on Daniel. Daniel's furtive glances at his phone when Seongwoo isn't looking.  
> When Seongwoo taps Daniel's shoulder for a question, Daniel always runs away.
> 
> Did he think he was being sneaky?  
> Did he think Ong Seongwoo was so stupid?
> 
> OR
> 
> Daniel's been acting suspiciously lately.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SPOILER: They obviously don't break up, and the previous chapter was them marrying, so....

_It started_ , Seongwoo thinks, _a month ago._

Seongwoo had woken up, bleary-eyed, in an empty bed.

Which would have been fine, except for the fact that Kang Daniel had ever, in the ten years of dating and living together, woken up before Ong Seongwoo. And that was ignoring the fact that they'd been drunk on red wine last night, and Daniel's head should have been pounding with a hangover.

Even stranger was the fact that Kang Daniel was up and about. The windows were open, letting the blinding sunlight in, and the TV was on and  _everything_ _hated Seongwoo_. 

Seongwoo buried himself deeper into the blankets.  _Why the hell is he up so early?_

It was an innocuous thought.

But as time went on, Seongwoo started noticing even more things.

Daniel seemed to disappear for large periods of time, coming back smelling of the subway and fatigue, but nevertheless smiling brightly.

Daniel suddenly started charging his phone in the shared bedroom, giggling as he seemed to scroll through huge walls of text. 

Daniel never answered any of Seongwoo's prying questions, merely shaking them off with winks and an ' _it's a secret_.'

And Seongwoo, being Seongwoo, didn't really notice, didn't notice until one day when Seongwoo asked Daniel for a heart-to-heart conversation about what was going on. That was when Daniel just gave him that same shit-eating grin and ran away from the double bed.

And then Seongwoo really started to notice.

How Daniel never seemed to laugh, or talk, or  _anything_ when Seongwoo joked about their relationship.

How Daniel started canceling all their dates, claiming a hectic work schedule.

How Daniel started coming back to the apartment, smelling like a different cologne.

 

 

 

Who did Daniel think Seongwoo is?

What did Daniel take him for?

A fool?

 

 

 

 _That's what I am_ , Seongwoo thought bitterly.  _I'm a damn fool._

_How could I not have noticed? How did I not predict this?_

 

 

 

_He's bored of me now. Just like he got bored of all those girls before._

_He's found another boy to love for years._

 

 

 

_I have to cut this off. Even if it hurts for me._

 

 

 

Seongwoo was staring at a maudlin drama featuring multiple crying people and dramatic breakups when he finally confronted Daniel.

"Seongwoo hyung!"

Instinctively, Seongwoo turned around from the sofa to see a Daniel bouncing on his toes. "What is it?"

"Hyung-ah~~~ I have a big surprise for you!" Daniel's smile was bright, innocent. Blinding.

_It blinded me, didn't it? Blinded me to whoever boy's hand he's holding._

"Do I have to guess the surprise?"

"As my boyfriend, I'll give you three tries!" Daniel looked positively ecstatic, seemingly unconscious of Seongwoo's souring expression. "But as my one and only beloved, I'll give you five tri-"

Seongwoo quietly stood up from the sofa. At the slow, tired movement, Daniel froze. The happiness on his face was quickly shadowed by a thin veneer of worry.

_But that's all it is. A facade._

"Seongwoo hyung?"

"How many tries do I get," Seongwoo asked quietly, "If I'm not your boyfriend, or your one and only beloved."

Daniel blinked.

Seongwoo padded around the sofa, towards Daniel's tall, imposing figure. "What if I told you that I know you've fallen out of love with me?"

Daniel blinked, but this time he had a retort. "I never - what - "

"Daniel. Daniel, Daniel, Daniel. Did you really think I was so stupid?" Seongwoo felt the walls he'd set up around his sorrow cracking with each word, but he forced his voice to remain steady. "Did you think I wouldn't notice when you stopped laughing at my jokes?"

Daniel opened his mouth, but his eyes looked indignant. Furious.

"Did you think I wouldn't notice when you started canceling all our dates, when I asked for a heart-to-heart conversation and you responded with an 'it's a secret?' Did you think I wouldn't notice when you were gone for hours on end with no notice, coming back to our apartment smelling like expensive cologne?"

Daniel was completely frozen now, his eyes fixated directly on Seongwoo. "Wh-"

"Did you think that I wouldn't notice how you never talk around me, Daniel?" Seongwoo's walls collapsed, and he fell to his knees. He didn't know when he'd gone so close to Daniel, but he was gripping Daniel's hands, was sobbing into them. "Did you think that I wouldn't see any of that?"

Pain, deep and vast, consumed Seongwoo like wildfire. He tilted his head back and screamed. He clutched at his hair, started pulling, pulling, pulling...

"Hyung stop! Stop! Stop-"

"STOP MAKING MY HEART BLEED, KANG DANIEL!" Seongwoo's voice was raw, ruined with racking sobs. "IF YOU'VE FALLEN IN LOVE WITH SOMEONE ELSE, THEN LEAVE ME!"

Daniel didn't budge. His eyes only stared desperately at Seongwoo, his mouth twisting to form words, but failing.

Seongwoo didn't expect the sorrow in his chest to solidify, turn into a block of lead determination.

"Oh."

Seongwoo laughed then, laughed maniacally until his throat burned from strain.

"If you won't leave, Kang Daniel..." Seongwoo picked himself up. "Then I will."

He darted over to the door, his heart hammering faster, faster, faster. He fumbled with the door handle, and if Daniel really loved him he would have been right behind Seongwoo, pulling him away from this impulsive madness-

But the door gave way, and there was no hand pulling him back.

And without anything but the threadbare clothes on his back, Seongwoo ran out, barefoot, of the apartment.

 

As his soles slammed against the stairway, the determination grew stronger, evolved into desperation.

 _I have to get out of here_.

But he'd barely thought that when he missed a step on the way down and tumbled down two flights of stairs.

He slammed hard onto the pavement, the air knocked straight out of his lungs. His ears rang painfully, and his chest hurt so much and for a while he couldn't hear, couldn't see, couldn't breathe.

Sobs shook his frame as Seongwoo realized that the man he'd loved for a decade had fallen out of love.

 

 

 

"Hyung?"

 

 

 

 

 

 

Seongwoo squeezed his eyes shut, his hands pressing tightly against his own ears.  _Get away please stop Daniel Daniel Daniel Daniel Daniel_

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Hyung!"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Seongwoo could feel anger building up inside his chest, and his hands curled into fists at the sides of his head.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"I love you, hyung."

 

 

 

Time stopped.

 

_What?_

 

"Hyung... I love you so much, so, so much, I - I never cheated on anyone else, I was busy finding rings and making reservations for proposing, I'm so sorry -"

 

 

 

_doesn't make any sense?_

_why would he propose?_

_unless-_

 

 

 

 

"Hyung-" Daniel gasped, and Seongwoo realized that Daniel was sobbing as well, and when Seongwoo finally opened his eyes he could see Daniel's fingers splayed against his chest, Daniel sobbing because Seongwoo had done something terribly wrong-

"Hyung, I love you, please don't leave me!" Daniel buried his head against Seongwoo's neck, and Seongwoo realized then that Daniel was shivering, his shoulders hunched inwards to make him look too small, too vulnerable because of Seongwoo.

"Seongwoo hyung... remember? You promised me we'd make so many memories, hyung. Please, don't be angry at me, don't leave me, I promise I'll tell you everything, I promise everything, just please-"

 

 

 

 

_Daniel doesn't break his promises._

 

 

 

 

_I broke my promise_

 

 

 

 

 

 

_I left his side_

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Daniel?"

Daniel's trembling slowed, but he was twitching, his fingers clenched tightly to Seongwoo's wrists. "Hyung, please, no, don't leave, no, I'm sorry-"

"Shhhhh..." Seongwoo slipped his right wrist free from Daniel's grasp and started to pat Daniel's hair. "Hyung won't leave. I won't leave. I was being stupid, I was being your Ongcheonggie, Niel-ah."

Daniel shook his head vigorously. "It's all my fault, hyung-"

"Aigo, Daniel. So selfish, taking what's mine and saying it's yours." Seongwoo's voice was soft, and he could feel Daniel unconsciously weakening his grasp at his soft voice. He even nuzzled weakly against Seongwoo's hand.

It broke Seongwoo, to realize that he had so much control over Daniel.

"Danik~ I was the stupid one again, Niellie. I should have known you were kind, I shouldn't have become so insecure. Will you forgive me?"

Daniel broke into an earsplitting grin, but his eyes still shone from unshed tears. "Hyung... I... I forgive you?"

Seongwoo nodded slowly. "Thank you, Daniel."

Daniel's smile weakened, replaced with a strain of nervousness. "Seongwoo hyung..."

"Hmm?"

"So... I told you I was gone for a long time so that I could prepare to propose..."

"Oh, Daniel." Seongwoo leaned over, and his lips brushed slightly over Daniel's. "Of course I accept your proposal."

Daniel's eyes started spilling tears, and he kissed Seongwoo back even harder.

Granted, it was mostly teeth and tears, but they didn't want it any other way.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

_"Daniel_

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

_I'm so sorry for doubting you_

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

_Thank you._

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

_You promised me_

 

 

_that we would make so many more memories._

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

_It's hyung's time to keep up his end of the promise,_

 

 

 

_don't you think?"_


	4. If I Promise You [Under The Moonlight]

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> *Further Back in Time*
> 
> On these languid nights, as moonlight splashes over their nooks and crannies, he can't help but make another promise wrought with sleepy eyes and half-wakefulness.
> 
> OR
> 
> One sleepless night, Daniel promises yet another thing to Seongwoo.

"Hyung."

"Hmmm?" Seongwoo rubbed his eyes, the veil of sleep slowly fading away. "What is it, Niellie?"

"Onggie hyung, I can't sleep."

Seongwoo chuckled quietly as Daniel whined into his neck. "Want me to sing you a lullaby, Niel-ah?"

"Ew."

Seongwoo shifted in the bed, blankets ruffling as he struggled to turn around. When he finally succeeded, he's rewarded with the sight of Daniel's face, contorted with frustration and sleeplessness. "Why don't you want me to sing you a lullaby?"

Daniel pouted. "I'm not your baby, Ongcheonggi!"

Seongwoo gasped, clutching his chest weakly. The soft pajamas don't do much to make him look insulted, but it'll do. "But you're my babe, Kang Choding." With that, he leaned forward, and their lips brushed slightly.

At the light contact, Daniel released a puff of air through his lips. "Hyung... I want to sleep, not get excited..."

Seongwoo smirked. "Even at ass o' clock, you want to get it on, don't you?" Seongwoo pressed himself closer to Daniel, relishing the way Daniel's breath quickened. Seongwoo allowed his fingers to weave between Daniel's soft hair, and he ever-so-slightly pulled Daniel's face closer to his.

Daniel averted his gaze, his chest pressing haphazardly against Seongwoo's. Seongwoo felt Daniel's heartbeat, growing faster and faster at the slight contact. And despite the fact that sleep still hung about Seongwoo like a heavy curtain, he kissed Daniel again, just to hear Daniel's breathing grow erratic. When Daniel's fingertips dug into Seongwoo's waist, Seongwoo groaned into the kiss.

It would be inaccurate to say that Seongwoo liked Daniel because of his charms or his undeniable sexiness. Rather, Seongwoo loved Daniel because he grew so vulnerable at these moments. He loved Daniel when he would pin Seongwoo to the bed, their lust clashing into each other. But he also loved Daniel at moments like this, when he was timid and vulnerable. And when those two personalities inevitably clashed, well.

It wasn't a kink. It was more that Seongwoo was proud that Daniel allowed Seongwoo to see a part of him that he didn't even show his own mother. It was only at moments like this, with moonlight splashing over them from the windows, that Daniel let his guard down with Seongwoo.

Finally, Seongwoo pulled away from the kiss. Daniel made a sound halfway between a groan and a mewl, his lips jutting with disappointment. 

"Niellie..." Seongwoo could see the way Daniel's eyes were already starting to droop a little, and he knew that it was now or never. "Niellie, go to sleep. I'm going to sleep again, so if you can't just hug me until you do."

And with that, Seongwoo allowed his eyes to droop shut, his lips curling at the sensation of Daniel's arms wrapping tightly around Seongwoo.

 

 

 

 

The moonlight streaming into their room seemed to grow brighter.

 

 

 

 

Daniel knew his boyfriend was beautiful.

He didn't need the news articles or the paparazzi photos. All he needed to do was wait until a pair of familiar arms enclasped themselves around his waist.

But tonight...

 

The moonlight enveloping Seongwoo effused him with a nearly ethereal glow. His cheekbones jutted prominently, shadowing his button nose, only to show those slightly chapped lips that always enchanted Daniel. His hair was carelessly swept across his forehead. His eyelashes seemed to tremble every time Daniel breathed.

Daniel slowly buried his nose in Seongwoo's messy hair, and the smell of cherries quickly invaded his mind. 

When he spoke, his breath puffed lightly against Seongwoo's forehead.

 

 

 

_Hyung-ah_

 

 

_I don't ever want to leave your side_

 

 

 

_remember that day_

 

 

 

_under the magical cherry blossoms? When we promised_

 

 

_to be with each other?_

 

 

 

 

 

_What if I promise you_

 

 

 

_under the moonlight from our windows_

 

 

 

 

_as sleep blankets us?_

 

 

 

 

 

 

_what if I promise you_

 

 

 

 

 

_to be with you until the end of my days?_

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The two slept, enveloped by the scent of cherry blossoms, illuminated by soft moonlight.


	5. The Five Promises We Made [And One Confession]

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> *Further Back In Time*
> 
> Seongwoo doesn't remember when, exactly, he fell so deeply in love with Kang Daniel?  
> But he thinks that it may be because of the five promises they made after their final comeback.
> 
> +
> 
> **Even Further Back in Time**
> 
> Daniel can't handle it any longer.

**1\. GOLD**

When Seongwoo comes back to the apartment he shares with Daniel, there's something amiss.

Instead of an exuberant man thudding through the hallways of their apartment to meet him at the door, there's a heavy atmosphere.

 _Is he moody today?_ Seongwoo thinks, his face automatically growing more neutral. Daniel would try to hide his emotions if Seongwoo came in looking worried, or happy, or anything other than accepting.

When Seongwoo pads into the kitchen, he sees Daniel, who is sitting quietly at the table. He's not looking at his phone, or quietly giggling to himself, or even humming quietly. Instead, he's staring at the intricate swirls of wood under his fingertips.

But that's not the weirdest thing. Rather, Daniel has a large, rather cute beanie stretched over his scalp. While Seongwoo would usually coo over the adorable figure, Daniel's slightly nervous expression is enough evidence that Seongwoo should definitely not coo at Daniel at this instant.

"Danik?"

Daniel startles, his hands automatically shifting upwards to pull the beanie further downwards. "H-Hi! Hyung, um, this beanie is just because I felt cold, and, uh, yeah I'm sleeping on the couch tonight-"

"Shh-shhh..." Seongwoo quietly saunters towards Daniel, and he can't say he doesn't like it when Daniel's eyes widen childishly, his fingers fumbling with the edge of the beanie. "I don't want you to sleep on the couch tonight, I want you to sleep next to me. Also, it's the middle of summer, and if you felt cold you could have just turned off the air conditioner."

"Uh." Daniel looks like a deer caught in the headlights, and Seongwoo chuckles before he clutches Daniel's hands.

For a moment, Seongwoo relishes the warmth Daniel's hands emanate, and they're so large and gentle that he wants to stay like this, fingers tangled together on a soft beanie.

Then, Seongwoo starts pulling upwards.

Daniel doesn't offer any resistance, but he squeezes his eyes shut.

Seongwoo closes his eyes as well, bracing himself. For what reason, he can't tell.

Then he yanks the beanie completely off, and he opens his eyes and - 

 

Blonde.

 

Immediately, Seongwoo is thrown in nostalgia. He remembers Jihoon, Woojin, Daehwi, JInyoung, Minhyun, Jaehwan, Jisung, Sungwoon, and Guanlin, each name an acute reminder that Wanna One has to meet up at some point.

"...Hyung?"

Seongwoo realizes then that he's crying. Sobs never looked attractive on Ong Seongwoo, so he refuses to cry further. Instead, he smiles through his tears and kisses Daniel's scalp, breathing in the smell of chemicals and Daniel's distinct scent.

"Hyung, I didn't mean for you to be sad, I'm sorry-"

"You have nothing to be sorry for, Daniel," Seongwoo mutters on Daniel's head, but he knows the quiet vibrations will be enough to calm Daniel down. "Thank you, thank you, I love you so much, thank you, thank you-" Seongwoo starts weeping quietly, but this time he's weeping with happiness, weeping because he knows what he has to do.

"You're not angry, are you?"

Seongwoo quickly lifts his face away, and he lifts Daniel's chin and he kisses Daniel so hard he can feel Daniel's surprised moan at the back of his throat.

 

 

 

**2\. BOOMERANG**

Daniel isn't sure why everything he does today comes right back at him. Maybe it's karma.

Today morning, he kicked a stone on the street on the way to the MMO Entertainment building, only for the stone to hit the pole in a very strange manner and bounce back to bruise his shin. He got a lot of angry makeup artists at that.

Today afternoon, when he's at a photo shoot advertising his new solo comeback, he playfully punched another rookie idol touring the scene, only for the rookie to punch playfully back. Except the rookie was super strong, and now he had another bruise on his bicep. 

So Daniel thinks today is a karma day. Meaning everything he does will immediately come back to bite him back.

He kicks his shoes off at the door of their apartment, and he sighs when the shoes (obviously) don't come off completely the first try, forcing him into a stumble.

He steps through the threshold, hoping that Seongwoo didn't have any schedules or photo shoots or recordings today.

He's rewarded with a mess of raven black hair and a sleepy smile. "Hullo."

Seongwoo softly stumbles into Daniel's embrace, his eyes half open from sleep. "I missed you, Daniel."

Daniel's heart skipped a beat. He liked Seongwoo's nicknames for him, but something about the way Seongwoo said his full name so vulnerably made him melt like putty in Seongwoo's hands. "Me too."

Seongwoo leaned upwards, and Daniel closed his eyes, waiting for a familiar pair of lips on his.

"Oi."

"Hm?" Daniel opened his eyes, and he saw a petulant Seongwoo, who had only leaned halfway up. "What do you want?"

"Kiss me, you idiot."

Daniel easily complies.

Even though Daniel is the one who's been gone all day, he doesn't mind the feeling that Seongwoo is the one drawn to him, like Daniel is the home instead of the other way around.

This kind of boomerang, Daniel can handle.

 

 

 

**3\. WE ARE**

"What are we?"

"What are what?"

Seongwoo sighs loudly, lowering the book he hasn't been reading for the past few hours from his lap. He adjusts his glasses slightly when they've slipped too far down the bridge of his nose. "What are we, Daniel?"

Daniel looks up from his computer, where a video from 1 Million Dance Studio plays. "I'm your boyfriend?" Daniel responds, his eyebrow quirked upwards.

Seongwoo bites his lip. "I know."

Daniel shuts his computer, and in a minute he's clambering over Seongwoo, his fingers clutching the edges of Seongwoo's oversized sweater. "What's the problem, Ongie hyung?"

Seongwoo takes a moment to collect his breath, only to lose it a little when Daniel clutches Seongwoo's hands with both of his own. Daniel's hands are awfully large, and his mind grows hazy with happiness as he realizes just how well his own hands fit inside Daniel's. "Nev-never mind."

"It's important, hyung." Daniel's eyes are sincere, and the Kang Choding is completely gone, replaced with the heartthrob Daniel that lays in front of Seongwoo's eyes. "It's important for me. And for you."

Seongwoo bites his lip again, and he looks away from that intense gaze. "It's just... I felt a little insecure for a moment."

"Why?" Daniel lets go of Seongwoo's hands, and Seongwoo's about to whine when he feels a steady pressure on his stomach and his chest, in the shape of Daniel's warm palms soothing Seongwoo down. "Why did you feel insecure? Did I do something wrong? Is it the photo shoots?"

"No..." Seongwoo's embarrassed now, because his insecurity is completely unfounded and created by a spurt of sadness. "It's just... youweren'tlookingatme."

Daniel raises his eyebrow again, but this time he giggles, the childish persona completely back. "Hyung~ if you don't want me to, I don't ever have to look at anything else ever again."

Seongwoo's cheeks redden, because, despite Daniel's childishness, Daniel is probably actually that much in love with Seongwoo. "I-I don't mean it like that-"

Daniel silences Seongwoo with a soft peck on his moles. "I don't need to look at anything else ever again anyways if you're always in front of me."

 

 

 

**4\. DAY BY DAY [I SEE YOU]**

Daniel's giggling hasn't abated for a few hours now.

"Seriously, what's the joke?" Seongwoo's voice is testy now. Daniel can't even be silenced with a kiss; in fact, he actually giggles harder and leans further into Seongwoo's chest.

"Hyung-" Daniel chokes out another happy giggle. "Hyung, I'm so  _happy._ "

Seongwoo rolls his eyes. "I know, but  _why?_ "

"Because," Daniel says with the brightest eyes known to mankind. "I'm your  _boyfriend._ "

Seongwoo snorts and flippantly turns on the TV, ignoring the way his heart skips several beats at Daniel's puppylike charm.

"Because, I get to be with you, day by day by day. Because all I can see is how beautiful you are every day." Daniel's arms have snaked around Seongwoo's waist, and Seongwoo gives up, and he starts giggling too.

"Me too, Danik."

 

 

 

**5\. I'LL REMEMBER [YOUR NAME]**

"When are you coming back?"

Seongwoo squats down and starts petting Daniel's head.

It's a common scene whenever Seongwoo has to leave for a fan meeting. Despite Daniel's best attempts to stay strong, he always collapses when Seongwoo's at the door, his eyes dancing with tears. And if Seongwoo doesn't tell Daniel the exact time he will come back, Daniel might stay there for days on end, waiting and waiting for Seongwoo to come back. Even when he tells Daniel when he's coming back, Daniel still sits at the front of the door for hours before Seongwoo comes back.

It breaks Seongwoo's heart when he comes back to see a Daniel gaunt with sadness, his knees bruised from being pressed too hard against the wooden floor for too long. It's a good thing the agency gives him a day off after a fan meeting since he can usually spend that day with Daniel.

Seongwoo cups Daniel's cheeks and kisses him on the lips three times. "I'm coming back in two weeks, Daniel."

Daniel whimpers and Seongwoo can't blame him. But Seongwoo's rising popularity can't be helped, and the length of the fan meetings keeps getting longer.

He can't wait for next year when Daniel officially releases another album and goes on fan meetings of his own. Maybe then, Daniel doesn't have to be too sad while he waits for Seongwoo.

"You're coming back next, next Sunday?" Daniel's lips quiver and Seongwoo shushes him, even though the manager is already outside and waiting impatiently.

"I promise, I'll come back. I'll call lots. I'll remember, okay?" Seongwoo hugs Daniel tightly, and Daniel hugs back tightly.

"I'll call too, hyung. I'll call you all the time."

Seongwoo leaves, the sight of an earnest, teary Daniel imprinted deep in his consciousness.

 

 

+

 

 

**1\. I PROMISE YOU [CONFESSION VER.]**

When the door clicks shut, Daniel stares at the door before he stands up. His legs are wobbly, and he can't seem to get the energy back into them. 

So. 

Daniel shuffles over to Seongwoo's bedroom and starts rolling around in the covers, breathing in Seongwoo's smell.

He remembers the first time he invaded Seongwoo's bed, a few years back, when he was still in Produce 101 as a pink-haired trainee.

Daniel had become quick friends with Seongwoo, attracted by his sharp features and wit. 

Seongwoo had invited Daniel over to his own bed with innocence flashing in their eyes.

There, in Seongwoo's bed, they had grown heady with each other's smell, had kissed each other, protected by their blankets and a kind video editor who had quickly deleted all intimate footage between the two.

There, their rapid friendship had matured into a sort of balance between romance and friendship.

Afterwards, Daniel had confessed, under the cover of darkness, his eyes earnest as Seongwoo jokingly ruminated over the confession.

Daniel smiles as he remembers those memories, and he buries his head deep under Seongwoo's blankets, knowing that less than 15 days later, he would be back with the love of his life.

 

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> This was written in an hour, please any feedback ;)


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